Kenya made a clean sweep of the IAAF World Cross Country championship in Bydgoszcz, Poland today with Joseph Ebuya, Emily Chebet, Caleb Ndiku and Mercy Cherono winning their respective events.
Ebuya, who was fourth at the World Cross Championships in Edinburgh 2008, won the senior men's 12km race, Chebet took the women's title while Ndiku and Cherono were victorious in the junior boys and girls races respectively.
With six-time winner Kenenisa Bekele of Ethiopia absent because of an injury, the men's race was wide open.
Ebuya finished the 12km course in 33 minutes flat to give Kenya its 9th medal at the event - The first Kenyan to win the title since Paul Tergat last done in 1999.
Eritrea's Teklemariam Medhin took the silver medal in 33 minutes and six seconds and Moses Ndiema Kipsiro of Uganda snatched the bronze medal from Kenya's Leornard Patrick Komon with both athletes timed at 33 minutes and 10 seconds.
Kenya's Emily Chebet won the women's 8km race in 24 minutes and 19 seconds, ahead of compatriot Linet Chepkwemoi Masai (24.20) and Ethiopia's Meselech Melkamu (24.26).
Chebet, 24, was barely mentioned as a contender but joined a decisive break away just ten minutes into the race and showed a superior kick in the closing stages, leaving Masai, the world champion over 10,000m in Berlin last year, to settle for silver.
Junior Races
Caleb Mwangangi Ndiku won the men's junior race after edging out Clement Kiprono Langat and Japhet Kipyegon Korir to cross the line in 22 minutes and seven seconds.
Mercy Cherono led home a Kenyan medal sweep in her last ever junior race - covering the 6km course in 18 minutes 47 seconds.
The 18-year old had a winning margin of seven seconds over Purity Rionoripo, who won bronze over 3000m at last year's World Youth Championships in Bressanone.
Esther Chemtai claimed bronze while Tirunesh's younger sister Genzebe Dibaba, who was looking for third title, finished just outside the top ten in 11th.
Kenya also won the team competition ahead of Ethiopia with the United States finishing third.
Selected Results
Senior Men:
- Joseph Ebuya - KENYA (33:00)
- Teklemariam Medhin - ERITREA (33:06)
- Moses Ndiema Kipsiro - UGANDA (33.10)
- Leonard Patrick Komon - KENYA (33:10)
Senior Women:
- Emily Chebet- KENYA(24:19)
- Linet Chepkwemoi Masai - KENYA (24:20)
- Meselech Melkamu - ETHIOPIA (24:26)
- Tirunesh Dibaba - ETHIOPIA (24:38)
Junior Men:
- Caleb Mwangangi Ndiku - KENYA (22:07)
- Clement Kiprono Langat - KENYA (22:09)
- Japhet Kipyegon Korir - KENYA (22:12)
- Isiah Kiplangat Koech - KENYA (22:24)
Junior Women:
- Mercy Cherono - KENYA (18:47)
- Purity Cherotich Rionoripo - KENYA (18:54)
- Esther Chemtai - KENYA (18:55)
- Faith Chepngetich Kipyegon - KENYA (19:02)
Download Full Results (PDF) below.